Shabbos Games

Games for the Shabbos table.

Board games, card games, puzzles, and more that suit a Shabbos-observant home, each one checked by a Chabad Rabbi or Orthodox Rabbi before we post it.

Browse the games

Reviewed before posting. Every game on this site is checked by a Chabad Rabbi or Orthodox Rabbi first. Customs differ between families and communities, so please check with your own Rabbi too.

Find a game by type

Start with who is playing, or what kind of game the afternoon needs.

Younger kidsAges 3 to 5 Early elementaryAges 6 to 9 Older kids and adultsStrategy and teamwork Card gamesQuick to learn PuzzlesQuiet afternoons Party gamesBigger groups

Younger kids

Simple, mostly luck-based games for ages 3 to 5. No reading needed.

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Candy Land

Race along a colorful path by drawing color cards. No reading needed, so the youngest can play.

2-4 players, ages 3+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Chutes and Ladders

Spin and race to the top. Ladders give a boost and chutes slide you back down.

2-4 players, ages 3+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Hi Ho! Cherry-O

Spin to pick fruit from your tree into your bucket. First to clear the tree wins.

2-4 players, ages 3+

Early elementary

Games with a little more thinking, for ages 6 to 9 and the whole family.

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Connect 4

Take turns dropping discs into a grid. The first to line up four in a row wins.

2 players, ages 6+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Mancala

Move stones around a row of pits to collect the most. A classic that is easy to pick up.

2 players, ages 6+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Jenga

Pull blocks from a wooden tower and stack them on top, without letting it fall.

1 or more players, ages 6+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Rummikub

Build sets and runs with numbered tiles. The first to empty their rack wins.

2-4 players, ages 8+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Qwirkle

Place tiles in rows that match by color or shape and plan ahead for a bigger turn.

2-4 players, ages 6+

Older kids and adults

Strategy and teamwork for bigger kids and grown-ups.

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Catan

Collect resources, trade with other players, and build settlements and roads.

3-4 players, ages 10+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Codenames

Two teams guess their secret words from one-word clues. Great for a big table.

4 or more players, ages 10+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Ticket to Ride

Collect train cards and claim routes across the map to connect your cities.

2-5 players, ages 8+

Card games

Easy to pack and quick to learn.

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Uno

Match the color or number of the top card. The first to empty their hand wins.

2-10 players, ages 7+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Spot It!

Race to find the one symbol two cards share. Comes in several versions.

2-8 players, ages 6+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Sleeping Queens

Play cards to wake up sleeping queens. The first to collect enough queens wins.

2-5 players, ages 8+

Puzzles

Quiet fun for a Shabbos afternoon.

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Kanoodle

Fit colorful pieces into a board to solve puzzles on your own. Fun for a quiet moment.

1 player, ages 7+

Party games

Silly, loud, and good for groups.

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Hedbanz

Wear a headband with a hidden picture and ask yes or no questions to guess what it is.

2-6 players, ages 7+

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Twisted Kichels

A Jewish-themed card game, much like Apples to Apples. Match a card to the prompt and let the judge decide.

Group game

Reviewed by a Rabbi

Would You Rather

Choose between two options and talk about why. Lots of versions to pick from.

Group game

How we choose games

We keep this simple and open, so you know what stands behind each pick.

We find a game and write up how it is played.
A Chabad Rabbi or Orthodox Rabbi reviews it, and we only post games that pass.
Each post says what was reviewed and notes anything families should know.
If a game is linked through an affiliate link, we say so on the page.